The Duke’s Daughter Trained a Wild Beast

I’ve already socialize and dealt with a lot of girls at Lena’s age but none of them showed vigilance when he took an interest on them.

Occasionally, they will already open their hearts with just a few smile.

However……

“I’m grateful for your kindness, but it’s okay.”

Lena listened to his concerns, but for some reason, her actions seems like she’s drawing a line.

And with those darkened eyes.

Maybe it was just a tired expression that made me feel that way.

But anyway, she, unlike the other girls, wasn’t happy with his false tenderness at all.

‘The fact that you said you’re kind only to me on our way here wasn’t true… Isn’t it?’

She already knew that he wasn’t a friendly person. It probably occurred to her that’s why she said that to provoke his conscience.

However, this seemed to be too much of an interpretation, so I immediately erased it from my mind.

‘……What a weird fiancé.’

In the meantime, Ed took off all his clothes and headed straight to the bathroom.

The warm bath water and whiskey were there as if the servants had prepared them beforehand.

As he dips into the water and takes a sip of the strong whiskey, his thoughts about Lena never left his head.

‘Everytime I let my guard down, it’s easy to see how her unexpected reactions surprises me.’

Sometimes, she’s very smart and experienced as if she had already known everything in this world. But at the same time, she’s also very sloppy for her age.

And yet, sometimes, it seemed like she can see through the depths of his heart where only hatred remains…

…He was confused and curious at the same time.

“……”

Suddenly, Ed, realizing that that he had been immersed with the thoughts of Lena for too long, swallowed all the whiskey in the glass.

Then he buried his body in the bath of warm water and closed his eyes quietly.

***

The finest bedding that Ed prepared wrapped around me like a cloud.

Thanks to this, I was able to fall asleep comfortably in less than 10 minutes after lying down. But when more time has passed……

‘My body feels heavy and old… And my breathing… I’m out of breath.’

It felt like something heavy is pressing down on my entire body. I was half-conscious and it was difficult to move but I did my best to open my eyes.

‘……?! A snake?!’

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a black snake, tying me up.

‘Where did this appear from? Furthermore… it’s very big…!’

The gigantic snake glared at me with its flickering golden eyes and widening its snout as if it were about to rip apart.

— Kyaaaah!

‘……No, no…!!’

It was then, when I was so desperate that I might be swallowed up all at once if this continues, that a beautiful red bird appeared in front of me without notice.

“……?”

The red bird that suddenly appeared was so graceful and captivating, and at the same time, overwhelming enough.

As the bird spread its wings, the spacious bedroom became cramped.

Thanks to this, the snake that was tormenting me a while ago made an unpleasant noise and ran off to the terrace.

“Phew……”

I finally got to breathe, so I came to my senses and looked closely at the bird.

A beak that sparkles like a ruby, a long and colorful tail like a peacock, and deep eyes that seemed to contain thousand years of time…

…There was not a single place where the bird is not beautiful.

Still, if I had to pick the most mysterious and beautiful among them, it was by far the wings.

I looked at it for a long time, its two wings were fluttering like flames.

“Flames……”

Even though the wings were made out of flame, it was not hot at all. Instead of being afraid or worrying it might be hot, I find the flames rather cozy.

As I was staring blankly at the embers flying from its wings, the word ‘Phoenix’ suddenly came to mind.

This bird was clearly no ordinary flying beast. I don’t know if it’s a phoenix, a legendary creature that I used to see in movies and books.

When I was wrapped around the wings of flame, the coldness and pain I had felt disappeared as if it has been washed away.

While I was resting on its wings, the bird bowed and whispered in my ear.

— Pyap!

“……!!”

Surprised at the sudden turn of events, I woke up in a flash. After waking up, I looked around and I saw the same bedroom before I fell asleep.

There were no traces of the gigantic snake and bird.

Luckily, the nightmare didn’t end up all bad. If the colorful bird did not appear in my dream, I must have been swallowed the by gigantic snout of that snake.

“Sigh……”

Breathing a sigh of relief, I reached out for the towel next to my head. It was to wipe away the cold sweat that was flowing.

Anyway……

— Chirp!!

A yellow cotton ball rolled down from the towel she picked up.

“Chick? When were you summoned?”

It was sitting on the towel spread like a cushion, and then the chick, who fell because of me, complained about it. So I carefully picked up my spirit.

“Did you wake me up?”

— Pyaap! Chiirp Chiirp!!

Just before fully waking up, I thought I heard a ‘Pyap’ sound which must have been from the chick, whispering to me. In other words, chick saved me from the snake’s nightmare.

“Thanks. I was having a strange dream.”

— Chirp.

“If it weren’t for you, I probably been swallowed by that huge snake?”

— Chirp!

Were you proud?

The chick spread its tiny wings wide and jumped. Thanks to this, the insides of its wings were exposed, and I saw something rather interesting there.

“Hmm?”

There were some sharp thorns in the space I don’t usually see much.

“This side is not fluffy. What is this? This sharp thing……”

— Chirp?

Out of curiosity, I scratched it with my fingernail, and the skin came off. And when the shell was peeled off, the red feathers that had been rolled up with it spread out.

“Bird feathers……?!”

Come to think of it, I’ve heard it before. When the feathers grow for the first time, it’s supposed to be wrapped in the skin and grew into a thorn-like shape. Afterwards, it’ll finally form to be like the typical feather shape.

“Chick! You… were growing up?!”

The chick seemed like it would remain as a little cotton ball for the rest of my life…

…But the said chick grew feather. Just like normal baby birds do.

For some reasons, my eyes tear up.

“I’ll make sure to raise you well this time. I’ll give you a lot of soulstones too.”

— Chiirp!

The chick came up and rubbed its yellow crown to my shoulder. I wanted to enjoy the moment more, but the sudden knock broke the atmosphere.

“Lady, I’ve brought you a dress for dinner.”

“Dress for dinner… Yes, come in.”

When granted with my permission, two maids with rather dark impressions came straight in with the dress. They glanced at the chick, but didn’t say anything. They didn’t even ask if it’s a pet or a spirit, as if they were really not interested. I didn’t feel the need to chat so I just asked them straight away.

“Did His Highness prepared this dress?”

“Yes. You came so suddenly and there weren’t any suitable dress… So we received an order to pick one for you.”

I was going to ask him to get me a new dress but to think that he already prepared it in advance. I nodded admiring Ed’s sense.

“I see. Shall I see it then?”

The maids took off the clothes’ cover, and the dress hidden inside was finally revealed. And the moment I checked its color—

“……”

I couldn’t say anything. Only after the shock has subsided, that I could barely move my lips.

“……I can’t wear this. Take it back.”

As soon as they heard my answer, the eyes of the maids changed violently.

“You can’t go out with the pajamas you’re wearing right now.”

“…Then bring another dress. I will never wear this dress.”

“It’s not possible. You cannot exchange the dress you have already purchased with another dress. We don’t have enough time, and even the high-end clothing shop that sold this won’t accept such an absurd request.”

“……”

“You’re going to wear this. Definitely.”

Aside from the rude way of speaking, it was an explicit coercion that was really embarrassing.

However, I could never wear this dress because……

‘That red velvet dress is like a switch that will trigger Ed’s trauma!’

Red velvet dress.

It was the trademark of the Empress, who abused Ed and tried to assassinate him in secret. She always wore red dresses except for funerals.

So in the original story, when Lena wore a red dress without knowing the meaning behind it, Ed expressed his resentment.

[Don’t show up in front of me wearing that kind of clothes again. It reminds me of that terrible woman who tried to kill me.]

Recalling that scene, I clenched my teeth enough to make a sound.

‘Did they intentionally brought a dress similar to the one worn by the Empress? Why? Anyway, if I wear something like that, Ed will surely don’t like it.’

But even knowing that, things weren’t easy. The dress I wore when I arrived was now dusty and there were no other clean dresses.

All I had was jewelry, shoes, and bags. All other dresses were taken by Hanna.

So I was thinking of other ways, and these strange maids acted as if they ate something wrong.

“You’re not going to refuse His Highness’s gift, are you?”

“What? That isn’t even a dress chosen by himself.”

“But His Highness is the one who paid for it. Refusing to wear this is such a disrespect to His Highness’s sincerity.”

By this time, they seemed to start getting scared. But they were arrogant, it even looked a little crazy.

‘What should I do with them?’

I couldn’t hear it at first because I was about to answer. However, the sound became louder and louder, and soon enough, I can clearly hear it.

“This sound…?!”

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

It sounded like something was kicking off the ground very quickly. As if audible to the strange maids, they looked around wearing bewildered expressions.

Meanwhile, I finally found out the identity of the sound.

‘It’s Hannah’s spirit… Violet’s footsteps…!!’

I pushed the strange maids and opened the door wide. Again, I saw a purple ostrich running towards me from the end of the hallway.

“Hannah!”

“Miss!!”

Hannah finally arrived and stopped in front of me. As soon as he got off Violet’s back, she grabbed my hands warmly.

“Oh, my. You left later than me but you really arrived earlier?”

“Yes, His Highness Ed’s spirit was very fast.”

“I should have come and prepared it in advance so the Young Lady could rest comfortably… You must have been in trouble because I had all the dresses.”

“No. I was about to be in trouble but before anything happens, you came just right in time.”

After I let go of Hannah’s hand, I turned around and looked at the strange maids. Looking into my eyes, Hannah asked as if feeling something.

“But what about these maids? Why are they standing here with such a sarcastic expression on their face?”

“Oh, them?”

I soon introduced them right away.

“They keep forcing me to wear the strange dress they’ve brought. They are very mean.”

“Such naughty kids.”

“Yes, drive them out now since I have to prepare quickly or else I’ll be late for dinner.”

Anyway, I already remembered their faces. So I’ll just have to tell Ed about this and fire them later. With dinner time just around the corner, I had to focus on preparing.

As if Hannah knew what I meant, along with her spirit, she approached the maids.

“You guys, get out.”